Overview
- Ankara is in advanced talks for up to 40 Eurofighter Typhoons, with a fast-track plan to receive 12 used jets from Qatar and Oman before new-build deliveries.
- Turkey’s defence ministry says discussions with Britain are progressing positively under a July memorandum of understanding, but no final contract has been signed.
- Erdogan visited Qatar on Wednesday for defense-related agreements and is set to discuss Typhoon numbers, pricing, and timelines in Doha and Muscat this week, with meetings with UK and German leaders expected later this month.
- Access to U.S. F-35s remains blocked by 2020 CAATSA sanctions over Turkey’s S-400 purchase, and Ankara is exploring a possible U.S. presidential waiver or other political workaround, according to sources.
- Officials cite recent Israeli strikes in the region and Greece’s planned F-35 acquisition as drivers of urgency, while Turkey’s KAAN stealth fighter is still years from replacing its F-16 fleet.